The Art of Warfare - Siege Weapons

[mirk_o_loio]

Hey hey.

How would Zalanthan Siege weapons look? Ballistae made of bone, slinging bone bolts tipped with bone?
Massive bone catapults mounted on mekillots and Braxats (like these in The Hobbit. That'd be awesome)
Or, do we have 'spec ops' on flying mounts that swarm over the walls with ropes for the troops to climb?

[Synthesis]

<about throat>           a dull black gem

[Pale Horse]

<about throat>           a dull black gem

Once upon a time, wasn't there a "flying fortress," or am I miss-remembering?

Siege weaponry in the Known would probably be viewed as "not really worth it."  Allanak has collared magic slingers who have the potential to raze most fortifications.  Tuluk would be the best candidate for deploying siege weaponry but their armies haven't marched far enough down the Known to actually threaten Allanak's walls.  If they ever did, I  am still not sure they'd go for siege weaponry.  Too large of a target for a fireball.  Sappers might be more viable.

[BadSkeelz]

The most involved siege weaponry I've seen deployed in game consisted of sledge-mounted shields that were pushed forward. They provided coverage for soldiers carrying ladders forward. It was a very cool scene.

There's not a very big market for siege weaponry in Zalanthas. The state most likely to want it - Allanak - has the Gemmed. Tuluk deployed what I described above, but they're unlikely to want or need anything more. There's no good reason for the North to besiege Allanak and a lot of reasons why it'd be a terrible idea.

[Reiloth]

The only siege weapons I can conceive of are siege towers. Without metal, it's hard for me to imagine anyone, well, imagining siege weapons. No replaceable parts, no nails. No rivets. No bolts, no struts. It's just difficult in a world with Magick Bombs (See: Krathis) to want to build a wooden dongle when you can have your bomb just blow shit up.

Every few years some 'inventor' comes along that wants to make siege weapons, and it's honestly cringe worthy anachronism IMHO.

[nauta]

I remember seeing in some Dark Sun campaign books a variety of interesting looking seige-like weapons.  Maybe I can google image them.

http://whinehurst.com/darksun/index.php?title=Mounts_and_Vehicles

No pictures, but check out the Drik war machines and the mekillot rams.  Tres cooles.

[seidhr]

A dozen half-giants with boulders.

[Jihelu]

I've always wanted to mc a bow thats basically a hand held ballista that can only be realistically used by a halfgiant, maybe two.
With room damage aoe arrows......


But I don't think there are actual siege weapons ig/lore wise.
if anything Tuluk would have them because: A lot of wood. A LOT

[nauta]

Oh, is a bahamet a drik?



And one done up to siege:

[Jihelu]

Bahamet mounted catapults!

[Hauwke]

L halfgiant
Here stands a rather tall halfgiant, upon close examination he is truly strapped for seige warfare

Head: A headmounted crossbow.
Over left shoulder: A shoulder mounted ballista.
Over right shoulder: A shoulder mounted ballista.
Torso: A chest strapped angry krathi shooting fireballs.

[Reiloth]

I'd be fine with a Bone Catapult if it broke all the time and barely worked.

[Hauwke]

Also trebuchet could be a thing. If we can build wagons a trebuchet could work.

[Reiloth]

Also trebuchet could be a thing. If we can build wagons a trebuchet could work.

But why?

What are they going to lob, and at what?

Siege weapons were created for a great reason -- There were a lot of fortified positions that needed to be sieged. In Zalanthas, there's like one big ass city, and then another spooky city that people don't go to. There's nothing to siege.

The 'Art of Warfare' in Zalanthas really amounts to 'Lots of dudes over here, lots of dudes over there, let's mash them together'. I don't think we should over think it, because honestly in practice, it's a fucking mess. At best, you can flank a group of people. But we don't even have sophisticated calvary, not to mention defensible (yet pregnable) fortifications, and unit tactics.

[Toofie]

I like it.

[Hauwke]

Im not saying they would use it. But have you ever considered how 90% of earth tech was discovered in the times when that sort of thing happened? I kike to think they were bored and drunk af when the guy invented 'thing that tosses massive rocks at stuff' I really think that would be a valid theory know what I mean.

[Barsook]

Also trebuchet could be a thing. If we can build wagons a trebuchet could work.

Siege weapons were created for a great reason -- There were a lot of fortified positions that needed to be sieged. In Zalanthas, there's like one big ass city, and then another spooky city that people don't go to. There's nothing to siege.

I agree, we got no war happening or at least it feels like it.

[Gaare]

Actually IRL heavy weapons, like  ballista or some type of stone throwers were also used against mass infantry. Also, fantasy setting like Forgotten Realms, Golarion has siege weapons. Their writers give good reasons why there are still heavy weapons on battlefields where magic so powerful.

On the other hand, from a discussion from long past, I remember a staff(Savak perhaps) gave a few great reasons for not using siege weapons in Zalanthas. First, complex parts need metal components for machines to work; Second, there are half-giants whom can toss great spears through ranks of soldiers or toss huge rocks.. 

PS. I actually really like to see chariots as well.. That would be cool.